Our Mission

We have a passion for growing young people. We inspire global citizens to lead in the spirit of the United Nations.

UN Youth is a non-profit organisation that provides civics education outside the traditional classroom context. Through fun workshops, Model UN, and discussion groups, we engage secondary and tertiary students in the most pressing affairs of their country and the international community.

Our aim is to connect young people with others who care, and help them develop confidence in their own beliefs and abilities. UN Youth is a springboard to help youth go out into the world feeling empowered to make good change.

Who We Are

Throughout Aotearoa, our work equips young people to become informed, engaged, and critical New Zealanders who understand their global context and the connections between the local and the global. Our organisation provides young people with the necessary educational and social skills to excel. Annually, over 2000 New Zealanders from Northland to Southland attend a UN Youth event.

We are a registered charity run entirely by young volunteers with no paid staff. Our volunteers devote hours to educating young New Zealanders as they bring together valuable experience in education, communications, logistics and youth development. We form the youth arm of the United Nations Association of New Zealand (UNA NZ), delivering of the many United Nations Youth programmes around the world.